Lightning arrester and method of making the same



Aug. 10,1926. y 1,595,565

T. W. KIRKMAN LIGHTNING ARRESTER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE 'SAME Filed July 12. 1922 atroz 17u14 s.

Patented Aug. l0, 1926.

UNITED STATES lessees THOMAS W. KIRXM'AN, 'OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER .AND METHOD 0F MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed .Tuk/'12, 1922. Seriall No. 574,467.

This invention relates to lightning arresters and methods of manufacturing the same.

The principal use for such devices, as is well known, is to bring about the grounding or discharge from electrical lines of excessive potential charges, such as those caused by lightning or atmospheric electricity, in order to protect Athe various delicate instruments used in telegraphic, telephonie and other circuit-s.

It is intended by the present invention to produce a practical and compact article which, in the particular embodiment later described herein in det-ail, may be used in much the same manner Aas is the ordinary fuse, that is, in connection with an appropriate insulator block to which it may be attached vby the usual spring clips to form the proper electrical connections. The invention, however, is not restrict-ed to an arrester intended to be so used.

The main difficulty in making lightning arresters which break down on low voltage is one of construction, especially where the gap formeel by the electrodes is surrounded by air. An important purpose of this invention is to furnish a method ywhereby lightning arresters, either ofthe sealed or.

the vacuum type, may be produced vreadily and eti'icicntly with a definite or accurately measured gap yof any desired length between the sparking points.

Further objects attained by the invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter 4given and the y'accompanying drawing in which latter the same reference numerals `indicate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken lengthwise of vthe arrester yat one stage during its manufacture and xbefore all of the parts have been vfinally secured in position;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary velevation of the right end of the arrest-er with the parts as shown in Fig. v1;

Fig. 3, a horizontal section, similar to Fig. 1, showing all of the parts secured in final position; and, f

Fig. 4c, `a perspective of the-:arrester in use on an ordinary .insulator block.

In the drawing there is represented at 1 a cylinder of glass lor other suitable insulating material. arresters by the meth-od which forms Ea part In manufacturing lightning of the present invention, one end'of cylinder 1, the right end as shown in the draw-l ing, is closed by securing thereon a metal cup-shaped cap 2. VThe end of `cylinder. 1

is telescoped into cap 2, and the parts permanentlysecured together in any suitable manner but preferably by cement 3, las shown on the drawing. Y Y

It is desirable, for a purpose which will appear later, to prevent the end of cylinder 1 within cap 2 from abut-ting against theend of the cap. In order toproperly space the parts at this point, there-is provided on the peripheral flange of cap 2 an inwardly disposed yprojection 4. Referring to l2, it will beseen that this projection 4f, which is spaced only a slight distance away from the end wall of cap 2, is .formed by providing a U-shaped slit or cut in the peripheral wall or flange of' the cap Vand then bending inthe free end of the metal so formed, as shown vin Fig. v1, `thus forming means against which cylinder 1 abats, when the two parts are telescoped When the inwardly disposed projection 4 is formed,v there is left inthe peripheral flange of cap A 2 an opening 4a, the purpose of which will appear later. After the parts mentioned have been assembled as described, the opposite or left end of cylinder 1 is closed by a metal cup-shaped ycap 5, which is somewhat similar to cap 2. This end .of cylinder l telescopes into the peripheral flange of cap 5 and,'as in the case of cap 2, the

' parts are then permanently secured together by cement 6, or 1n any other suitable manner. At this end of thearrester the end of cylinder 1 preferably, .although Vit is not essential7 abuts against the end wall of the cap 5.

In order to permit the insertion of electrode '7 which is preferably of rod form into cylinder 1,- the end wall of cap 5 is provided with a central opening 8 which entends .through a hollow, tapered projection 9 formed on the inner face of the end wall of cap 5, Vas shown in Fig. 1. Before electrode 7 is placed in position within cylinder 1, a suitable gage 10, corresponding in Vthickness tO-the desired length which it is intended to give the gap of the arrester, is inserted into the right endV of cylinder 1 .through opening la and against the end wall of cap 2. 'One end of electrode 7 is lthen projected into cylinder 1 through the opening 8 in cap 5 and moved forward until the end comes into contact with the left face of gage 10 against which it is firmly pressed in order to insure complete seating of the extremity of the gage against the end Wall of cap 2 and thus secure the proper relative arrangement and spacing of the parts. When in this position the opposite end of electr-ode 7 is permanently secured in place in cap 5 in any suitable manner but preferably by means of solder 11, as shown in Fig. 3.

Electrode 7, it Will thus be seen, is rigidly mounted in place Within cylinder 1 and upon the Withdrawal of gage 10 forms at its right extremity a definite and accurately measured sparking gap 12 with the end Wall of cap 2. The left end of electrode 7 may be secured in cap 5 in any suitable manner,

although it has been found in practice thatthe construction shown in the drawing has proven quite satisfactory.

If the arrester is to be of the sealed type, the opening 4a in cap 2 may be closed by means of cement or solder 13. Should an arrester of the vacuum type be desired, the air Within cylinder 1 may be readily eX- hausted by suitable means before opening l? is sealed as described.

Fig. 4 of the drawing is illustrative of the manner in Which the arrester produced by the method above described may be used similarly to the ordinary fuse. At 14: there is shown the usual insulator block on which are mounted` the spring clips 15, 16 into Which the metal-capped ends of the lightning arrester snap. At 17 and 18 are the conductors, secured at their inner ends to the binding posts 19, 2O respectively, and at their outer ends (not shown) connected to the circuit intended to be protected by the arrester.

It is contemplated that numerous structural changes may be made in the arrester Without departing from the scope of the invention, except as the same may be limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is z- 1. A lightning arrester consisting solely of a glass tube; a metal cap closing one end of said tube and serving as an electrode; a met-al cap closing the other end of said tube; and a rod electrode supported at one end by said second-mentioned cap, said electrode being disposed Within said tube in spaced relation to the side Walls thereof and so that its opposite end forms a gap With the end Wall of said first-mentioned cap.

2. A lightning arrester comprising in combination. a glass cylinder open at both ends: a cylindrical metallic cap cemented on and closing one end of said cylinder, the end of said cap serving as an electrode; a second cylindrical metallic cap cemented on and closing the other end of said cylinder, said ysecond-mentioned cap being provided centrally of the inner face of its end Wall With an integral projection, there being an opening extending through said projection and the second-mentioned cap; and an electrode having one end soldered in said opening in the second-mentioned cap, said electrode being disposed Within the cylinder so that its opposite end forms a gap With the end Wall of said first-mentioned cap.

3. A lightning arrester comprising, in combination, an insulation'tube a cup-shaped member of conductive material closing one end of said tube and serving as an electrode; a member of conductive material closing the other end of said tube; and an electrode supported at one end by said secondmentioned member. said electrode being disposed Within said tube in spaced relation to the side walls thereof and so that its opposite end forms a gap at one end of the tube, with the end Wall of said first mentioned member.

l. Av lightning arrester comprising in combination, a cylinder open at both ends; a fianged cap mounted Ion and closing one end of the cylinder, said cap being provided With means for preventing said end of the cylinder from abutting against the end of said cap when the cap is mounted thereon; closing means for the opposite end of the cylinder; and an electrode Within said cylinder, one end of said electrode being supported by said closing means and the opposite end thereof forming a gap with the end of said flanged cap. y

5. A lightning arrester comprising in combination, a cylinder open at both ends; a flanged cap mounted on and closing one end of the cylinder, said cap being provided on the inner face of its flange with a proliection for spacing said end of the cylinder from the end of said cap; closing means for the opposite end of said cylinder; and an electrode Within said cylinder, one end of said electrode being supported by said closing means and the opposite end thereof forming a gap with the end of said flanged cap. Y Y 6. A cap for closing the ends of lightning arresters comprising an end `Wall provided with a peripheral flange to receive a lightning-arrester cylinder, said flange having a portion thereof struck in so as to form a projection' spaced from said end vvall lfor limiting the insertion of the lightning-arrester cylinder into said cap.

7 A lightning arrester comprising, in combination, a tube of insulating material; a cap electrode of conductive material closing one end of said tube and having its end wall spaced from the adjoining end of the tube; a cap of conductive material closing the other end of said tube; and an electrode supported at one end by said second-mentioned cap, said electrode being disposed Within the tube so that its opposite end forms a gap, at one end of the tube, with the end Wall of said first mentioned cap.

8. That method of manufacturing lightning arresters which comprises closing one end of a cylinder With a cap; closing the opposite end of said cylinder With a cap; 'inserting a gage in an 'opening in the firstmentioned cap against the inner face of the end of said cap; inserting an electrode into an opening in the end of the second-mentioned cap With one end of the electrode against said gage Within the cylinder; securing the opposite end of said electrode in place; removing said gage from said firstmentioned opening; and closing said firstmentioned opening.

9. That method of manufacturing lightning arresters Which comprises inserting a gage Within a closed cylinder against one end thereof through an opening in the side of the cylinder; inserting an electrode into said cylinder through an opening in the opposite end of said cylinder With one end of the electrode against said gage; securing the opposite end of the electrode in said secondmentioned opening; removing the gage from the cylinder; and closing said first-mentioned opening.

10. That method of manufacturing lightning arresters which comprises inserting a gage Within a closed cylinder against one end thereof through an opening in the side of the cylinder; inserting an electrode into said cylinder through an opening in the opposite end of said cylinder with one end of the electrode against said gage; securing the opposite end of the electrode in said secondmentioned opening so as to seal said opening; removing the gage from the cylinder; exhausting the air Ifrom the cylinder through said first-mentioned opening; and sealing said first-mentioned opening.

11. That method of manufacturing lightning arresters which comprises closing one endof a cylinderfwith a cap so that a space remains between said end of the cylinder and the end Wall of said cap; closing the opposite end of said cylinder with a cap; inserting a gage in an opening in the firstmentioned cap against the inner face of theV tainer With a cap; inserting a gage in anopening in they first-mentioned cap against the inner face of the end of said cap; inserting an electrode into an opening in the second-mentioned cap with one end thereof against said gage Within the container; securing the opposite end of said electrode in place; and removing said gage from the opening in saidy first-mentioned cap.

13. That method of manufacturing lightning arresters which comprises providing a tube with an electrode; inserting a gage Within Said tube against said electrode through an opening in the side of the tube; fiXedly mounting a second electrode Within the arrester tube with one end of the last mentioned electrode against said gage; and removing the gage from the tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS W. KIRKMAN. 

